The Honda Passport was introduced into Honda’s lineup as a compact crossover SUV in 1994 and remains popular today. Honda vehicles are known for their reliability and for having the features consumers expect from today’s SUVs, including towing. But what is the towing capacity of a Honda Passport?
The Honda Passport has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds to 5,000 pounds depending on the model year and drivetrain.
There’s a bit more to know about Honda Passport towing capabilities which we’ll cover in today’s guide.
Honda Passport Towing Capacity By Year
As we covered earlier, the current Honda Passport can tow a maximum of 5,000 lbs.
The Passport has been in production from 1994 through the present, with the exception of 2003 through 2018 when it wasn’t made. We’ve listed out the maximum tow capacity by year below for reference.
Note that for each model year, there are many variables that affect the total towing capability of each vehicle year, so we recommend checking your specific Passport year and trim level in the links below for an in-depth guide and to get the most accurate information for that year.
Here’s the maximum Honda Passport towing capacity by year:
2023 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 5,000 pounds
2022 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 5,000 pounds
2021 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 5,000 pounds
2020 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 5,000 pounds
2019 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 5,000 pounds
2002 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
2001 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
2000 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
1999 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
1998 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
1997 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
1996 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
1995 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
1994 Honda Passport Tow Capacity: 4,500 pounds
You can also read our guide on what makes a vehicle towing capacity to learn all the aspects that go into it.
Here’s a video showing the Honda Passport in a towing test:
Honda Passport Braked Vs. Unbraked Towing Capacity
All vehicles have different towing capacities based on whether or not you’re towing a trailer that has trailer brakes installed.
Trailer brakes allow the trailer to stop faster than if only the vehicle is using its brakes, allowing the vehicle to tow more weight, so braked towing capacity will always be higher than unbraked towing capacity.
Honda Passport Braked Towing Capacity: 3,500 lbs to 5,000 lbs.
Honda Passport Unbraked Towing Capacity: 1,000 lbs.
Honda Passport Towing Capacity Factors
There are a few factors that affect the Honda Passport tow capacity.
Model Year
The Passport’s tow capability varied a bit by year and generation.
The towing cap of the Honda Passport stayed steady from 2003-2020, but earlier years had a slightly lower towing capacity.
2WD or AWD
The drivetrain of the Honda Passport can affect how much it can tow by a good bit.
In recent years, AWD models have been able to tow 1,500 pounds more than 2WD versions.
Engine Type
The engine specs affected the towing capability of earlier models of the 1st-generation Honda Passport.
Honda Passport Engine Specs
There are two engine options for the Honda Passport that are new in 2023.
3.5 Liter Six-Cylinder Engine
The current Honda Passport gas engine is a 3.5 Liter 6-Cylinder SOHC engine.
This engine produces 280 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft of torque.
Honda Passport Tow Package Info
Does The Honda Passport Have A Tow Package?
Honda offers a factory-installed Passport trailer hitch standalone or as part of the Utility Package.
The Honda Passport tow package includes the following:
- Honda Passport factory Class II receiver trailer hitch
- Trailer Hitch Receiver with ball mount receiver, retaining pin, and clip
- 7-pin wiring harness
- Trailer hitch locking pin for security
- Trailer hitch ball (1-⅞” or 2”)
Can You Install A Trailer Hitch On a Honda Passport?
If you plan on towing anything with your Honda Passport, you’ll need a tow hitch and wiring harness.
Depending on what you’re towing, you’re going to need a ball mount (aka a trailer ball hitch) so you can attach items for towing.
Make sure to get the right trailer ball size that matches your hitch and trailer.
Honda Passport Tow Hitch
Trailer hitches come in different hitch classes, which are rated for different vehicle sizes and weight limits.
The Honda Passport uses a Class 2 hitch.
Here’s a great option for a Class II Honda Passport trailer hitch:
- DEPENDABLE STRENGTH. This trailer hitch is rated for 5,000 lbs. gross trailer weight, 750 lbs. tongue weight, 6,000 lbs. weight distribution capacity and 750 lbs. weight distribution tongue weight (limited to lowest-rated towing component)
- VERSATILE DESIGN. This class 3 hitch equips your vehicle with a standard 2-inch x 2-inch hitch receiver, allowing for a wide variety of towing options. It can accept a ball mount, cargo carrier, bike rack, tow hook and much more
- FULLY TESTED. Every CURT class 3 trailer hitch design is tested in real-world, on-vehicle conditions at our Detroit engineering facility. Aftermarket hitches are tested according to SAE J684 standards for the utmost safety while hauling
- RUST, CHIP, UV-RESISTANT. This tow hitch is protected with a unique dual-coat finish of rust-resistant liquid A-coat and highly durable black powder coat. The two finishes are co-cured together for exceptional resistance to rust, chipping and UV rays
- EASY TO INSTALL. This hitch offers a custom, factory fit on select model years of the Honda Passport
Here’s a great ball mount option so you can hook up different types of trailers for towing with your Passport:
- DEPENDABLE STRENGTH. Rated to tow 3,500 pounds gross trailer weight and 350 pounds tongue weight, this ball hitch offers dependability for your towing setup (weight capacity may change if trailer ball is removed)
- VERSATILE USE. This trailer hitch ball mount comes with a 1-1/4-inch shank to fit virtually any industry-standard 1-1/4-inch receiver. The ball mount has a 3-1/4-inch drop, 2-inch diameter ball, 1/2-inch hitch pin hole and 7-1/4-inch overall length
- READY TO TOW. Hitching up your trailer is easy with this ready-to-use trailer hitch ball mount. It comes with a pre-attached tow ball for ready coupling and a trailer hitch pin to securely mount onto your hitch receiver
- CORROSION-RESISTANT. For long-lasting use, this ball hitch is protected with a durable black powder coat finish, and the trailer ball has a polished chrome plating. These finishes resist damage from rain, dirt, road salt and other corrosive threats
- EASY TO INSTALL. To install the trailer hitch ball mount on your vehicle, simply insert the shank into your vehicle's 1-1/4-inch hitch receiver. The rounded shank makes installation easy
Honda Passport Trailer Hitch Installation
If you’re considering having a tow hitch added to your Passport, expect to pay between $100 and $200 to have a tow package professionally installed (excluding the cost of the tow hitch and wiring harness).
If you’re handy and looking to save money, you can install the trailer hitch and wiring harness yourself.
Always follow the manufacturer’s directions and use proper safety precautions.
Here’s a great video walkthrough on a Honda Passport trailer hitch installation:
Hitch Receiver Vs Rear Step Bumper Towing
Some vehicles allow for bumper towing, which means you can mount a tow hitch ball directly on the bumper instead of installing a tow hitch to the vehicle’s frame.
Can I Bumper Tow With A Honda Passport?
The Honda Passport does not allow for bumper towing, so you’ll need to use a frame mounted hitch.
How Do I Know If My Honda Passport Has A Tow Package?
You can start by looking under the rear bumper of your Passport to see if you notice a trailer hitch or trailer ball.
That will give you a good indication of if you have a tow hitch already installed on your Passport.
Another way to research this is by checking the paperwork that came with your vehicle or taking it to a local dealer to see what’s installed.
Make sure to have your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) handy if you call the dealer so they can look up the exact specs and whether or not your vehicle has any towing packages or features installed on it.
Honda Passport ATF Cooler: Do I Have One?
The Honda Passport ATF cooler was a dealer-installed add-on option for 2019-2021, and was automatically included in the 2022 and beyond for the TrailSport and Elite trim levels.
To find out, you can look in the grill of your Passport and see if you can visually identify a cooler in front of your radiator.
If so, then you’ve got an ATF cooler installed on your Passport.
If you can’t tell, you can also bring your Passport in to your local Honda dealer to have them check it out and they’ll tell you if you have the ATF cooler or not.
Data Accuracy
We’ve gathered all data represented here from the official Honda Passport Owner’s Manuals on Toyota’s site and have checked all data thoroughly for accuracy.
Having said that, we still recommend you refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual yourself before towing with your Toyota 4Runner.
